RESEARCH PAPER
Morphometrics and mineral composition of shell whorls in three species of giant African snails from Abeokuta, Nigeria
 
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1
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
 
2
University of Uyo, Nigeria
 
 
Submission date: 2016-02-02
 
 
Final revision date: 2016-05-12
 
 
Acceptance date: 2016-05-17
 
 
Publication date: 2016-06-12
 
 
Corresponding author
Kehinde Ademolu   

Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Alabata, 100011 Abeokuta, Nigeria
 
 
Folia Malacol. 2016;24(2):81-84
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Archachatina marginata (Swainson), Achatina achatina (Linnaeus) and Achatina fulica Bowdich were examined for their shell whorl morphometrics (20 snails per species) and the calcium, iron and phosphorus content in the shell whorls (10 snails per species). The species differed in the degree of shell mineralization (the highest in the medium-sized A. achatina, intermediate in the smallest-sized A. fulica and the smallest in the largest-sized A. marginata) which was not age- or environment-dependent, since all the experimental snails were 12 months old adults of 6 whorls, originating from the same snail farm. In all three species the degree of shell mineralization decreased from the apical (oldest) to the body (youngest) whorl, thus depending entirely on the whorl's age. The inter-specific differences in calcium content should be considered when using shells for medical or agricultural purposes.
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ISSN:1506-7629
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